Floyd County health officials ask council to fund conversion of bank into new clinic

Floyd County Health Officer Dr. Tom Harris told the council on Tuesday that the health department needs a larger, more resilient facility and asked the county to fund conversion of a former bank at 3317 Grandmont Road into a public health clinic. "We are homeless after 09/30/2026," Harris said, citing the sale of the department's prior hospital facility and limited lease options.

Harris said the department currently operates from roughly 3,500 square feet and is facing cramped offices, repeated electrical problems and no consistent generator backup. He described two design options: a fuller conversion (Option A) with expanded generator capacity, a drive-through clinic and upgraded classroom and storage space, and a pared-down Option B that would cost substantially less but lose key capabilities. "With option A we planned to have a generator that would power the whole building," Harris said, noting the county stores nearly $300,000 worth of vaccine on any given day and that generator capacity is a major operational need.

The presentation included preliminary cost comparisons: staff cited a worst-case estimate near $2.7 million for a full conversion, and a leaner option near $1.2 million. Harris and other staff identified available local funding — county bond proceeds, roughly $300,000 remaining from a prior bond, and approximately $161,700 in HFI funds — but said the county will need additional appropriation to complete the work. Harris also explained that the HFI program's annual contribution has declined from about $1.4 million to roughly $400,000, and that only 10% of HFI receipts may be used for capital in any given year, which limits the department's capital options.

Council members pressed for clarity on numbers and the timetable for procurement. Staff recommended hiring an engineer to develop construction drawings and then issuing RFPs or RFIs; council members asked staff to target a solicited budget range near $2.0M so bidders know the scope. Several council members signaled support, and the chair directed staff to proceed with engineering drawings and to return with refined bids and a project budget.

Next steps: staff will commission engineering drawings, issue RFPs/RFIs guided by the council's target range for construction, and return with formal cost estimates and recommended funding sources before any final appropriation vote.